England head coach Thomas Tuchel to remain until Euro 2028 despite World Cup semi-final loss

By Brian Otieno — 16 July 2026 — 4 min read

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his intention to remain in his role until Euro 2028, despite the team’s recent World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina. The decision comes after England lost 2-1 to the reigning champions in Atlanta, missing out on a spot in the final.

Tuchel, who was appointed in January 2025, had his initial contract extended earlier this year to run through Euro 2028. The upcoming European Championship will be co-hosted by England, Wales, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland. Despite the disappointment of the semi-final exit, Tuchel stated, “We keep on going with the contract until the home Euros. I’m looking forward to that even though right now it’s difficult to look that far ahead.”

The semi-final match saw England take a 1-0 lead in the second half through Anthony Gordon’s goal. However, a tactical shift by Tuchel at the 71-minute mark, moving to a back five, was widely criticised. This change led to Argentina scoring twice in the subsequent 21 minutes, turning the game in their favour. After the tactical adjustment, England reportedly conceded 93 per cent possession.

Pundits and former players offered strong opinions on Tuchel’s tactical decisions. Sky Sports’ Gary Neville suggested England would “never have a better chance to reach a final than that,” noting the team was “five minutes plus stoppage time away from the final.” He added that England became “too narrow and too deep,” drawing parallels to the Euros final against Italy.

Former Premier League midfielder Jamie O’Hara, speaking on Sky Sports News, called for Tuchel’s dismissal, describing the decision to switch to a back five as “one of the worst I’ve ever seen.” He argued that the move “killed the team,” especially given that England had only 12 per cent possession after scoring their goal. O’Hara highlighted that the reason Tuchel was hired was to “get the job done” in crucial moments.

Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett, reporting from Atlanta, felt that Tuchel “got that wrong.” He noted that the FA hired Tuchel for his “brilliant tactical nous in knockout games,” but that the coach chose to “hold what they had” after England scored, shifting momentum to Argentina. Dorsett concluded that “the better side won, but there’s an awful feeling that this was to a large degree self-inflicted.”

Sky Sports’ Ron Walker echoed these sentiments, questioning if England needed to go so deep so early. He observed that the outcome of Tuchel’s decision was “painful to watch” and that England not only surrendered territory but also gave up almost 93 per cent of the ball in the 21 minutes after the switch. Walker pointed out that the Three Lions did not manage a single touch in the opposition box after scoring.

Former England striker Chris Sutton labelled it a “coaching catastrophe from Thomas Tuchel,” stating that England effectively “hand[ed] Argentina the initiative.” Gary Lineker, speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, described Tuchel’s tactics as “unfathomable,” particularly against a player of Lionel Messi’s calibre. Lineker questioned why, with a back five, no one was assigned to mark Messi, who had ample space to deliver balls into the box.

England captain Harry Kane admitted that trying to hold onto the 1-0 lead backfired. “Once we went 1-0 up we seemed to just try and hold on which at this level is just not enough, so I’m gutted,” Kane said. He added that the team struggled to apply pressure on the ball after the goal, inviting continuous waves of attack from Argentina.

Despite the criticism, Tuchel retains the backing of the Football Association. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham expressed his heartbreak at being so close to the final, but praised the team’s effort. “The players and Thomas gave it everything today and the squad, coaches and staff could not have worked harder during the tournament,” Bullingham stated.

England will now remain in the US to prepare for a third-place play-off match against France in Miami on Saturday. Tuchel acknowledged that while no team wants to play in this match, reaching their second semi-final in eight years was an achievement. He emphasised the need for the team to “bounce back and react” at the highest level of sport.

In other news from the semi-final, Argentina’s players faced criticism for waving a banner supporting their country’s claims to the Falkland Islands after their victory. Senior minister Peter Kyle described the behaviour as “entirely inappropriate,” stating that “politics needs to be separate from football.” The incident could lead to disciplinary action from Fifa for violating rules against political messaging on the pitch.

Fans in Manchester, while disappointed, also expressed pride in the team’s performance. Lucas Clapham, 25, said he was “just happy we’ve made it this far,” while Rachel George, 30, believed the players “deserve a hero’s welcome.” She added that despite the sadness of the loss, “we go again in four years’ time.”

The FA views England’s progress to the semi-final as a relative success internally, despite the defeat. England’s upcoming match against France on Saturday, scheduled for 22:00 BST, could mark their best performance in a men’s World Cup since 1966 if they secure a victory.

Source: skysports.com